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By David.

35 Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.
    Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler,
    and stand up for my help.
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.
    Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.
    Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
Let them be as chaff before the wind,
    Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
Let their way be dark and slippery,
    Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.
For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.
    Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
Let destruction come on him unawares.
    Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.
    Let him fall into that destruction.

My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.
    It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you,
    who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him;
    yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up.
    They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12 They reward me evil for good,
    to the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
    I afflicted my soul with fasting.
    My prayer returned into my own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.
    I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.
    The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it.
    They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts,
    they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on?
    Rescue my soul from their destruction,
    my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly.
    I will praise you among many people.
19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;
    neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they don’t speak peace,
    but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.
    They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.
    Lord, don’t be far from me.
23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!
    My Lord, contend for me!
24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness.
    Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!”
    Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.
    Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

27 Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad.
    Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh be magnified,
    who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

Psalm 35

[A Psalm] of David.

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!

Draw out also the spear and javelin and close up the way of those who pursue and persecute me. Say to me, I am your deliverance!

Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek and require my life; let them be turned back and confounded who plan my hurt!

Let them be as chaff before the wind, with the [a]Angel of the Lord driving them on!

Let their way be through dark and slippery places, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing and afflicting them.

For without cause they hid for me their net; a pit of destruction without cause they dug for my life.

Let destruction befall [my foe] unawares; let the net he hid for me catch him; let him fall into that very destruction.

Then I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like You, You Who deliver the poor and the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who snatches away his goods?

11 Malicious and unrighteous witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I know not.

12 They reward me evil for good to my personal bereavement.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting, and I prayed with head bowed on my breast.

14 I behaved as if grieving for my friend or my brother; I bowed down in sorrow, as one who bewails his mother.

15 But in my stumbling and limping they rejoiced and gathered together [against me]; the smiters (slanderers and revilers) gathered against me, and I knew them not; they ceased not to slander and revile me.

16 Like profane mockers at feasts [making sport for the price of a cake] they gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on [without action]? Rescue my life from their destructions, my dear and only life from the lions!

18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among a mighty throng.

19 Let not those who are wrongfully my foes rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without cause.(A)

20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land.

21 Yes, they open their mouths wide against me; they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it!

22 You have seen this, O Lord; keep not silence! O Lord, be not far from me!

23 Arouse Yourself, awake to the justice due me, even to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24 Judge and vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness (Your rightness and justice); and let [my foes] not rejoice over me!

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, that is what we wanted! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up and utterly destroyed him.

26 Let them be put to shame and confusion together who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify and exalt themselves over me!

27 Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

28 And my tongue shall talk of Your righteousness, rightness, and justice, and of [my reasons for] Your praise all the day long.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 35:5 See footnote on Gen. 16:7.